Page 13 of The Red Moon

I roll my eyes and ready myself for the next step. “I’m sure she thought so.” He’s remarkably heavy for someone with such an underfed appearance. I’m sure the Medical Journal would love the chance to dissect a werewolf and examine their substantial bone density.

Sergei winces at the pain of the next step, doing his best to stay standing. “I knew she was a liar. But you …”

We stop mid-flight, and I wait for him to finish, staring into the faint glow of his eyes.

“You say Nikolai is with the rest of the alphas in pictures. You know of the bloodline? What Nikolai’s to become?”

“Da,” I groan as we manager another step.

Sergei smirks despite obvious pain twisting his face. “Viktor’s never said that before, you know. Nikolai’s pet. He has been tense lately. Ordering double guards on gates. Almost like he’s afraid his big brother might come home,” he says, his eyes brighter than I’ve seen. It’s easy to notice the flicker of hope he has at the mention of Nikolai’s name.

I lean Sergei against the wall and give us both the break we desperately need. Panting, I glance at him again, raising a brow. “Can I ask a question now, Sergei?”

“Ask.” He tilts his head, showing a certain amount of discomfort he couldn’t hide if he wanted to.

I swallow hard, hoping what I say next won’t expedite my head being mounted as a trophy in Vlad’s study. Natalie, the plaque would read. Incapable of keeping her intrusive fucking thoughts to herself. At the end of the day, he is a part of the pack. Sworn to serve the Vostik wolves despite the horrible way they treat him. All I know is I can’t wait for Nikolai to save me, if taking on his family to get me back is even on the itinerary. But I won’t sit in that cage waiting for a blood moon, counting down the hours until Viktor gets his grand prize.

“Will you help me?” I finally ask.

Sergei doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t have to. With one glance at his conflicted features, I have my answer. The silence is even more uncomfortable as I help him take me back to Vlad Vostik’s cage. And when the frail wolf locks us in and limps to the staircase, he pauses at the first step, staring back at me for a moment before making the climb. I can’t help but watch him struggle the entire way.

A man marches forward through the crowd once the door slams shut, his large head moving like a shark fin in small pond of people. His narrowed eyes fix on me, and each brow slumps together at the bridge of his nose.

“What in the hell was that about?” he asks.

Everyone turns their attention first to him, then to me as blood begins to suck out of my lower extremities and find home at my now burning cheeks. Every pair of eyes focus on me, bright faced and back against the cool metal bars. For the first time since I woke up in the compound, I feel smaller than the mice I’ve seen from time to time.

I wrap my arms around myself, inching backward. “He wanted to meet me…” I don’t say his name. At least, not out loud. The last thing these people need to know is the name of the alpha orchestrating their slaughter. Not that they’d believe me, anyway.

“You?” the man says, spittle flying from his mouth. “Why would he want to meet with you?”

“I—I don’t …” I stammer and fight back tears. And it’s in that moment I realize I am no safer in Vlad’s study than I am in his fucking cage. Veronica, the only person I’d even consider to be in my corner slowly steps back and disappears among the faces glaring in my direction.

“What are you planning with them?” Those final words come out coarse. Sharper than a pair of canines. More captives rally behind him, some nodding their heads as this firing squad closes in on me. Planning? He’s seen how the pack has treated me since I woke up here. Worse than anyone else in this fucking cage. How could I possibly be planning something with them?

Thud.

Dust shakes from the ceiling, raining down on me and the other prisoners, drawing our attention. We all pause and exchange confused glances except the man leading this mob. No, he stays idle, his callous and bloodshot eyes never leaving mine. My blood runs cold, not because I’m trapped in a room of people that think I’m a threat, but for the uneasy feeling settling in my gut. That wasn’t a door slamming closed. It was one being forced open.

Muffled voices break the silence above the cellar. One notably thick and vicious while the other is barely above a whisper. Everyone tilts their head to the stairwell, everyone except me. I know who it is. Even when sleep doesn’t come easy in this prison, I hear his words blaring through my head on all stations. I am the next alpha. He. Can’t. Fucking. Save. Anyone.

Viktor.

Only the bottom of the door is visible from the cage, and as it rips open, I can almost smell his human flesh burning, begging to melt away and show the true animal hiding beneath it. Viktor drags his claw along the wall down the entire staircase, dusting each step with powdered cement.

His large form comes into view and a disturbing grin tilts one side of his face. He’s no doubt enjoying the fear radiating from every inch of this cage at the mere sight of him. There’s something to be said about how you react when staring death in the eyes, and right now—I’m not fucking flinching. I grab a hold of the bars and wait for him to approach. There’s a murderous glint in his silver glare, something I only saw when he transformed in the red room. When he killed Courtney.

He doesn’t shift, though. Part of me doubts the cage could even stop him should he decide to have his own private hunt and claim his kill now. Is he brazen enough to disobey his father? This is the most important question of all. Until now, Viktor has followed every order. Kept me alive even though his hungry eyes have said something else entirely. How long can he fight the monster beneath his skin because Vlad says so?

He stares at me for a moment, brushes the plaster off his hand, and raises a brow. “You aren’t that timid little girl running away from my club anymore, are you?” He peers curiously, leaning his head to one side.

I spit at him, sacrificing the small amount of saliva I have in my cheeks. A chalky-white mist leaves my lips, stopping only a foot from me. Sure, not the desired effect, but I think he gets the idea. His smirk only deepens, and a symphony of gasps collect behind me. I don’t turn around. No. I keep my gaze fixed on his.

“Definitely not. You’ve changed, Natalia. Like watching a pup learn how to use their teeth.” He bites at the air, clacking his sharp canines together.

I thrust all my weight into the bars but they don’t give an inch. “You’re lucky I’m not one of you. I’d rip your heart out of your chest before Nikolai got the chance, if I could even find it.” I match his grin as he walks forward despite every hair on the back of my neck standing straight. Goose bumps travel down each arm, but I holdfast, determined to show this fucking monster he won’t intimidate me.

“Nikolai,” Viktor scoffs. He glances around the cellar. “No Nikolai here. What makes you so sure he isn’t on a plane to Italy like he planned? Why would he risk himself—” He pauses and reaches for the bars while I recoil from his touch. “To save you?”